Revolving display rack



y 1942- A. VANDERVELD 2,282,835

, REVOLVING DISPLAY RACK Filed March a, 1941 a Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill]...

. Ill-Illa III! \nvembr A ilk Z6 May 12, 1942. VA. VQANDERVELD 2,282,835,

REVOLVING DISPLAY RACK Filed March 6, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Anikon \lmexvdd 5% I W 4 b /6-. 1?

7 vgJd'oY Aflbmegg I y 2, 1942. A. VANDERVELD 2,282,835

REVOLVING DISPLAY RACK Filed March 6, 1941 3 Sheefcs-Sheet 3 patented May l2, 1942 Anthony Vanderveld, Grand Rapids, Mich., as

signor to Grand Rapids Store Equipment Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 332,034 8 Claims. .(01. s12 133)' This invention relates to a revolving display rack housed within a show case or cabinet, the rack being bodily movable forward from a position within the case to the front where'garments carried by the rack may be examined and reu moved. Racks of this type and character, in general, carry two rows or lines of garments, one back of the other, and for inspection and removal of the garments at the back, the rack is rotatable about a vertical axis. The immediate garment holding portion of the rack is longer than it is wide and any rotation of the rack when it is at an inner position within the show case would cause parts of the rack to strike against the back of the show case with danger of breakage or other damage. Also when the rack is at the front of the case and has been rotated from its normal position, any inward movement of the rack would cause similar damage to the case. Therefore, the revolving rack is held locked ;against rotation at all times except at the fore- .most position to which it can be moved. And when in such foremost position the rack is ro- ;tated, it is automatically locked against rear- -ward movement into the case until again at its first position to thereby insure against damage .to either the case or the rack from undesired contactengagement of them.

This general form of revolving rack with lockfling devices forthe purposes stated is old and well-known. My invention is directed to an improvement therein which greatly reduces manufacturing expense so that the rack structure to the applied to a show case unit may be manufacltured at a cost of approximately 50 to 60% of "What has been the previous cost for revolving display racks of the wardrobe type. In pursuance of the economy of manufacture with the resultant reduction of sales cost to the buying public, the invention consists in numerous novel constructions of simple and economical form but by means of which the locking against rotation when the rack is in one position and the looking of bodily movement when it is in another position, as previously mentioned, are assured; yet the construction may be produced at exceptionally low cost, all parts and their assembly and association being economically produced, and of great strength and durability.

For an understanding. of the invention by means of which the specified results are attained as well as other objects not at this time specifically enumerated, reference may behad to the folaccompanying drawings, in which,

1 and the front side of the member 8. other track is made up of a plurality of parts Fig.1 is a plan view of a r'evolving display rack at its inner position within a show case, the

show case being shown in horizontal section on the plane of line I of'Fig. 3. d

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section and plan substantially on the line of 2-2 of Fig. 3 with parts broken away and. removed showing the carriage mounting of the rack.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section from front-to rear through the show case, the carriage and supporting vertical postof the rack being in side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan viewof the rack carriage and immediate associated parts with parts thereof in section to'better disclose the plane of line 5-5 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section and partial side elevation of the lower supporting structure for the revolving part of the rack.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper portion of the rack or the immediate garment holding structure, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary horizontal sec tions taken substantially on theplanes of line 88 and 9-9 of Fig. '7, looking in the directions of the arrows.

Like reference characters refer to like parts .in the different figures of the drawings.

The wardrobe show case is of conventional form having spaced verticalends l, a back 2 and top 3 mainly of glass. At the bottom of the case a floor is provided including a horizontal open frame 4, the opening in which may be closed by removable floor sections 5 laid therein, the division line between the sections being midway between the ends of the case and running from front to rear. At their forward portions, adjacent edge portions of thefloor sections 5 are cut away so that when the two are placed together an elongated slot 6 is provided indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, which is from 'subst'antiallythe center point of the case fortracks consists of a channel member Ill secured at its ends to the rear side of the base member The one of which is a wood bar ll extending between the parts 1 and 8 and attached thereto and over which a fiat plate of metal I2 is placed and secured, having an edge portion extending beyond the inner side of the bar II for a distance as shown in Fig. 5. At the same side of the bar II a longitudinal rib is provided as shown, to which a vertical track plate or bar I3 of flat metal is permanently secured. These tracks spaced apart as shown are to movably carry the supporting carriage of the rack which carriage may be moved back and forth on the tracks.

The carriage consists of two side bars M of angle formation having vertical legs with horizontal legs at the upper edges ofthe vertical legs extending toward each other. Near the front of the side bars a cross channel having a horizontal upper web I5 is secured extending underneath the horizontal legs of the side bars and. welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. Front and prearirollers lfi traverse the channel track chip-b ing attached to t e vert al leg of th sid bar l4 adjacent such ha n l tra k- Similar rollers .l,6 are mounted on the vertical legof the opposite sidebar [4 and, lie upon the upper edge of the verticalgpositioned trackmemher 13. .;An :arm I! is permanently welded or otherwise secured to the same sidebar [4 near itsrearsendand extends downwardly, atits lowerendcarrying agrooved; roller l8 of a like construction to the rollers lfiand engaging. the track plate 13 at its lower edge (Fig. 5). i

A tubularpostJS' is weldedat its lower end to .theweb l5 oflthe channelgorossmember of the carriage and extends vertically therefrom through the slot 6 of the floor. At its .upper end .itis equipped with ,a circularfldisk 20 which is located horizontally. ,At ,diametricallvopposed edges .10f the disk notches are-gut. the purpose of which hereinafter appears. Y

The channel crossbar of the carriage having an upper web .15 has downwardly extending spaced flanges 2| (Rig. ;6),. .Below t e lower end of the post H) a channelilength having a horizontal ,web 22 and upwardly extending .flanges 2.31 s pla cdnas'shown inEi 6. with th "flanges 23' outside of the flanges ;2I. The contacting flanges 23 and 2| are permanently secured together by screws as shown in Fig. 4 or other equivalent connections. Such-flanges at their frontand rear sides have openings .24 the .axes of which are coincident and liein'a common horizontal and vertical plane.

To therear member 8 of the base a rod 25 is connected at one end and extends forward -to and enters the openings in therearflanges 2| and 23; and when the carriage is backof its front position it passes through the front openings 24, asindicated in :Figs. 2. and 3. Bumpers 25 are secured at the rear 0f the base member land at thefront of member 8 which the ends .of the carriage sides strike at their extremes of movement. At the forward extreme of movement indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the

front end-of the rod"25 will be as shown in Fig.

6, entering only the openings 24 in the rear flanges 2| and 23 and not extending across the housing, completed by the under channel section described.

-A vertical shaft 21 is; mounted lengthwise of the; post 19, suitable sleeve bearings 28 being provided at the upper and lower end of the post for saidshaft. The shaft extends at both ends beyond the-ends of the pgst. At its lower end (Fig. 6) it reaches to the web;22;-of tlqie inder channel section of the housing described and bears thereagainst. Within the housing a short cylindrical disk or drum 29 is located and permanently secured to the lower end portion of the shaft 21. It and the shaft 21 have a diametrically disposed opening or passage therethrough which in one position of the drum is in horizontal alinenient with the openings 24. In such position the carriage may be moved back and forth from front to rear and Vice versa, the rod 25 passing through the alined openings. It is evident that when the rod 25 has entered or passed through the disk 29 no rotation of the shaft 21 about its vertical axis cantake-place. But when the carriage is moved to its front nost position and the rod 25 is located with reference to the disk 29 as shown in;Fig. 6, such shaft 2'! if free of locking rod 25 may be rotated; and as soon as it has rotated even a very short amount the carriage cannot be returned until the parts are returned to a r it gn s ch tha the h r q t "Opening throu -the dis and t -l e end'bf the ha isinal n m n W thhe en 24? ;A rack is mounted atthe "upper projecting end pqrtign of theshafti-l above thepost 19. I -nthe specific;disclosureshown thelrack is for holding pants. In structure it comprises two elongatedparallel channels having vertical webs Jill :and oppositely extending ;fianges -3l located one in-front and -the;othe'r ;.back .of the upper part o f shaft 21 from which shaft locating and holding pins .32 extend through openings in the websfifl. Arms 33; made .froin. wirerod.are pivotally-mqunted onthegflanges fl as shown, each including .an upper horizontal section and a downwardly inclined lower section. Pants may ,be folded jovertheupperisectionof-the arms 33 and in practice retained against accidental movement thereon by; the spfings shown which vexerta'gripping action onll the .garment. Such form of holder for pants is not new; and need not be further.specificallydescribed. A horizontal plate '34 p is laid I overthe channels and se- Lcured jto .the upper flanges thereof, preventing disengagement o'f thearmsfiii.

Between; the vertical webs 30. of the, channel and at each side of the upp er..end portion of post 211a casting 35 is locatedandper nanently se'cured by bolts or screws. Each [of said castings..at,its outergedgeis vertically slotted and a lever 3,6 pivotally mounted between its ends is .located in..each.slot. A compression spring 31 mounted in alined openings in the post. 21 and the castings 35 normallyforces the upper end portions ofthe levers ,36 outwardly away from each other,v and moves thelowerend portions of thelevers toward .each other sothatpthey will .enterthe. notches in the disk20 when in conjunction therewith.

It is to be understood that the rack described may -be varied Lin 'nany; respects. ,Eor example, l in stead of. carrying. a large number. of bracket arms like fthose 'shown at.33, horizontal rods may be carriedby the rack at equal .distancesin front and back of thechannelmembers30, 3| through intervening .s pp rting.,.arms between the jrod and channels;i. and' over ;.said rods garment hangers 'ofyarioustypes may behookedland carried.

With thisiconstructionswhen the lackjsat its innepmsifion Withi 1. 9w. =i f 1 i 3, the rotatable. garrnent carrying hpper portion of the; rack is; locked against "rotation' n d. remains thus locked' all -of the ti ne that the-Lrod 251s engaged with the disk 29. When the rack is drawn forward to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 3, rod 25 will be completely withdrawn from the disk 29, as in Fig. 6, whereupon so far as the locking rod 25 is concerned the rack may be rotated. However, at such position in order to free the rack for rotation the upper ends of the levers 36 which extend through slots in the overhead plate 34 are manually engaged and operated toward each other to disengage their lower ends from the notches in the disk 20.

As soon as the rack has rotated from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the turning of the disk or drum 29 moves the opening therethrough out of alinement with the rod 25 so that any attempt to push the rack back into the case will fail because a side of the disk will come against the end of rod 25. It is only in one position, and that is with the opening in the disk or drum 29 in alinement with the openings 24 and with the axis of the rod 25, that the rack may be pushed back in the case. Such construction insures no contact engagement of the rack with parts of the enclosing show case. It is of course to be understood that the positive lock which is provided by the notches in the disk and levers 36 may be replaced by a yielding connection between said levers and disk by making the notches of a different form with cam sides instead of straight shoulders as shown.

The described construction has proven very practical and useful and is particularly economical to build. The carriage construction for the housing of diskor drum 29 and the simple looking rod used therewith with an insurance that the front free end of the locking rod will be held and supported at all times, together with the fact that the parts from which the construction is made are in general all stock metal forms such as angles, channels, plates, tubes androds, makes the construction one which is of exceptional economy, strength and durability, such durability following because of simplicity of construction without any parts liable to cut or bind or get out of order.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a construction of the class described substantially horizontal tracks, a carriage mounted to traverse said tracks, a vertical shaft on said carriage, means supporting said shaft to permit rotative movement of the shaft about its vertical axis, said shaft at its lower end portion having a substantially horizontal opening therethrough,

and a horizontal rod having a length shorter than the length of the tracks mounted on the structure at its rear end and extending forwardly to pass through said opening in the shaft when the carriage is at all of its positions except one extreme position of movement thereof, said rod being out of engagement with the openingin said shaft at such mentioned position of the carriage whereby the shaft may be rotated when the carriage is at such position and cannot be moved on the tracks until said opening in the shaft and said red are in alinement.

2. In a construction of the class described a supporting base frame having front and rear members, spaced horizontal tracks extending between and secured at their ends to said members, a carriage mounted to traverse said tracks from front to rear and vice versa, a vertical shaft carried by and extending upwardly from said carriage, means for mounting said shaft for turning movement about a vertical axis, 'said shaft at its I lower end having a horizontal opening therethrough, a horizontal rod secured at one end to the rear member of said base frame and extending toward but terminating short of the front member of said frame, said rod being adapted to pass through the opening in the lower end of the shaft, and said shaft passing beyond the forward end of the rod when the carriage is moved to its foremost position.

3. In a construction of the class described, a supporting base framehavingspaced front and rear members, spacedhorizontal tracks extending between said front and rear members of the frame and secured thereto, a carriage having spaced side bars and a connecting cross member mounted to traverse the tracks, a housing at the intermediate portion of said cross member, an elongated tubular post secured at its lower end to said cross member, a vertical shaft mounted for rotation in said post and at its lower end bearing upon the lower side of the housing, said housing having front and rear horizontally alined openings in its vertical sides, and said shaft having a horizontal opening through the lower part thereof adapted to be located in horizontal alinement with said openings in the'housing, a horizontal rod. secured to the rear member of the frame and adapted to pass through said horizontally alined openings in the housing and shaft, the rod terminating a distance back of the front member of the base, whereby when the carriage is moved to its front position the front free end of the rod is received in the rear horizontal opening in said housing and the shaft is free of said rod.

4. In a construction of the class described a base comprising a frame having front and rear spaced parallel members, spaced horizontal tracks extending between said members and connected thereto, a carriage having side bars and a cross channel member between the forward portions of said side bars located between said tracks, rollers on the carriage engaging said tracks, a channel member of less length than the cross channel member of the carriage having flanges lying alongside the flanges of said cross channel member and permanently secured thereto substantially midway between said side bars of the carriage, thereby providing a housing having upper and lower horizontal sides and having vertical sides provided by the flanges of said cross channel member and said channel section, said flanges of the housing having horizontally alined openings therethrough, a vertical tubular post permanently secured at its lower end to the upper side of said housing, a vertical shaft extending through said post and the upper side of the housing and resting at its lower end on the lower side of the housing, said post having a horizontal opening therethrough adapted to be positioned in horizontal alinement with the openings in said flanges, a horizontal rod secured to the rear member of the base frame and extending forward therefrom toward but terminating short of the front member of the frame, said rod passing through the lower end of said shaft and through the openings in said housing when the carriage is at rear position and at substantially all other positions except the frontmost position of the carriage, at which frontmost position the shaft has been moved beyond the front end of said rod.

5. In a construction of the class described, sub-,

stantially horizontal tracks, a carriage mounted to traverse said tracks, stops for the carriage at the two ends of its travel, a vertical shaft mounted on the carriage, means supporting said shaft to permit rotative movement thereof about its vertical axis, a housing on the carriage into which the lower end portion of the shaft extends, said shaft within said housing having a horizontal opening therethrough. and the housing having opposite openings in its vertical sides in horizontal alinement with each other and adapted to lie in horizontal alinement with the opening through said shaft in one position of said shaft, and a horizontal rod secured in fixed relation to said tracks and between the same adapted to pass through the openings; in the housing and shaft, said rod being of less length than the tracks whereby the carriage: may be movedat one extreme of its movement to move the shaft beyond the end of the rod to disconnect the rod from said shaft and permit its rotation and simultaneously prevent movement of the carriage on said tracks.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, combined with a disk secured to said shaft and located Within th housing, said disk having an opening therethrough in alinement with the openings through the lower end of the shaft and said disk being of a size to closely approach the vertical sides of the housing through which guide openings for said rod are made.

7. In a construction of the class described, a carriage, a vertical post thereon, a vertical shaft mounted to turn about a vertical axis passing through said post, a channel shaped track at one side of the, carriage, rollers on said side of the carriage traversing the track, a horizontal bar at the other side of the carriage, a vertical plate secured at the inner side of the bar, and rollers at the adjacent side of the carriage riding upon the upper edge of said vertical plate, as specified.

8. A construction containing. the elements in combination defined in claim '7, combined with a horizontal plate secured lengthwise and at the upper side of said bar and extending over said rollers, as specified.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD. 

